Bed-spring.



' To all whom, it may concern,.-

` central longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a View 'UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

ARTHUR M. SORRY, OF CLARION, IOWA.

BED-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming' lpart of Letters Patent N o. 672,863, dated April23, 1901.

Applicant inea June 7, 1900.

Be it known that I,- ARTHUR M. SORRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Clarion, in the county of Wright and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Bed-Spring,. of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a novel spring bed-bottom, one Object in viewbeing to produce a sectional bottom which ma-y be adjusted to fitbedsteads of different sizes.

A further object of the invention is to so construct and arrange theadjustable bottom sections as to maintaina continuous resilient orspringy supporting-surface under all conditions by the provision of apermanent spring-section carried by the supporting-frame intermediate ofthe adjustable sec-4 tions and designed at all times to extend acrossthe interval between the sections.

Still further objects subordinate to those enumerated will hereinafterappear in the sueceeding,description which has special reference to thepreferred form of theinvention illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand embraced within the scope of the appended claims..

In said drawings, Figure l is a plan View of my spring` bed-bottom,showing portions of the spring-sections vor wire fabric broken away.Fig. 2 is aview similar to Fig. 1, but showing the adj ilstable sectionsextended or separated and one of the securing-plates of the stationarysection removed. Fig. 3 is a of one of the end rails detached. Fig. 5 isa detail view of one of the slides det-ached; and Fig. is a sectionalView, on a somewhat enlarged scale, showing the manner of the attachmentof the wire fabric to the slides.

Referring tothe numerals of reference employed to designatecorresponding parts throughout the views, l and 2 .indicate the side andend rails of a rectangular or oblong frame having any suitable specificconstruction and constituting the supporting member of my bed-bottom. Atthe longitudinal center of this frame is retained a permanent bottomsection 3, constructed of woven-wire fabric or other suitable materialof comparatively narrow width and having its opposite ends receivedwithin recesses 4 in the upper faces of the end rails 2 and securelyretained Serial No.19l490. (No model.)

therein by the retaining-plates 5', covering the recesses and screwed orotherwise secured to the end rails, as shown.

The recesses Ltextend from the inner edges Of the rails 2, and theirtransverse dimensions, aswell as the transverse dimensions of theretaining or covering plates 5, are such as to leave sufficient roomfoi-.the mounting and free movement of a number of adjpstable slides6,which constitute the end pieces of adjustable bottom sections 7 and 8,composed, like the sect'ion, of wire fabric or other more or lessresilient or yielding material suitable for the purpose. The adjustablebottom sections 7 and S are of a width approximating one-half the widthof the frame and in their contracted positions constitute a practicallycontinuous supportingsurface entirely covering the frame. In allpositions of these sections, however, their inner edges Overlap to agreater or less extent the opposed edges of the intermediate permanentsection 3, so that as the adjustable sections arev separated or extendedto increase the width of the bed-bottom the interval between them willbe closed by the section 3 to form a continuous supporting-surface atall times.

In carrying out the invention in its broadest aspect various forms ofadjustable retaining means for the opposite ends of the wire fabric maybe employed; but in thepresent embodiment of the device the fabric issecured to the slides 6, which are substantially U-shaped and Iit overthe outer edges of the end rails 2, which latter in order to morecertainly vwithstand the strain imposed upon them by the tightly-drawnfabric are given a slight transverse inclination, as shown in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings. 'The means for securing the fabric to the slidespreferably comprises a clampingplate 9, extending over the outside faceof each slide and retained by bolts l0, projecting from the slide anddesigned to draw the clamping-plates 9 against the ends of the fabric,which are passed between the plate and slide, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6of the drawings. The slides are preferably entirely free to movelongitudinally upon the end rails 2, being retained in their adjustedpositions by the strain imposed upon themA by the wire fabric,`which,'as is well under- IOO stood in the art, is necessarily drawn taut torender it sufficiently resilient for the comfortable support of a bodyin use.

The method of procedure followed in assembling a bottom constructed asdescribed will vary in accordance with the individual ideas of themanufacturer and with the availability of stretching appliances whichare usually employed in the construction of spring bed-bottoms. Forinstance, the slides'may be first attached to the fabric and then fittedon the end rails, which latter may be subsequently drawn apart bysuitable means and bolted to the side rails, or, if preferred, the framel may be first assembled and the wire sections may thereafter bestretched until the slides are in position to be received upon the endrails, or a still further variation of the method of assembling would beto place the slides upon the end rails and subsequently stretch thefabric and secure its ends to the slides. The manner of assembling theparts is not essential, however, inasmuch as the various modes ofprocedure above stated are available.

From the foregoing it will be evident that a bed-bottom constructed inaccordance with my invention may be adjusted to fit various sizes ofbedsteads by the relative adjustment of the sections 7 and 8, thecontinuity of the supporting-surface being maintained under allconditions by the intermediate stationary section 3, which closes theinterval between the adjustable sections; but while the embodiment of myinvention illustrated and described is believed at this time to bepreferable I wish to reserve the right to effect such changes,modifications, and variations as may fall properly within the scope ofthe protection prayed.

What I claim isl. A bed-bottom comprising a pair of sections in the sameplane and an additional section located in adierent plane and oppositethe contiguous edges of the first-named sections.

2. A bed-bottom com prisinga series of relatively adjustable sections,and an intermediate section designed to close the interval between thesections to maintain the continuity of the su pporting-surface when suchinterval is produced by the relative adjustment of the first-namedsections.

3. A bed-bottom comprising a pair of adjustable sections, and anintermediate ystationary section closing the interval between theadjustable sections to maintain the continuity of the supporting-surfacewhen such interval is produced by the relative adjust` ment of thefirst-named section.

4. In a bed-bottom, the combination with a frame, of a plurality ofadjustable sections posed of end and side rails, a stationary sectionextending between the inner edges of the end rails at the center of theframe, and

a pair of adjustable sections extending be- .A

tween the outer edges of the end rails, whereby the adjustable sectionsare movable without interference from the intervening section whichserves to close the interval between the adjustable sections and tomaintain the continuity of the supporting-surface.

7. A bed-bottom comprising a frame composed of side and end rails, astationary wirefabric section extending between the inner edges of theend rails, slides movable up'on the outer edges of the end rails, andwirefabric strips extended between the slides located at opposite endsof the frame.

8. In a bed-bottom, the combination with a frame comprising side railsand recessed end rails, of a bottom section having its opposite endsretained in the recesses of the end rails, slides movable upon the endrails, and flexible strips extending between the slides and constitutingadjustable side sections coperating with the stationary section toproduce an adjustable bed-bottom having the continuity of itssupporting-surface maintained in the several adjusted positions of itssections.

9. In a bed-bottom, the combination with a frame comprising side and endrails, of slides substantially U -shaped in cross-sectional contour andfitted over` the outer edges ofthe end rails, flexible strips extendedbetween the slides and arranged for adjustment through the movementthereof, and 'a stationary section extending between the inner edges ofthe end rails.

l0. A bed-bottom comprising a plurality of relatively adjustablesections disposed in the same plane and an additional section located ina different plane, all of,said sections cooperating to form a continuousextensible supportingsurface.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR M. soREY.

- Witnesses:

GEO. P. BOND, M G. E. BENNETT.

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